1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a front structure of a vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A front structure of a vehicle as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B is known.
FIG. 7A is an exploded partial perspective view of a conventional front structure of the vehicle. FIG. 7B is a vertical cross section of the front structure of the vehicle. In the figures, arrows FR, OUT and UP respectively show a frontal direction, an outer direction, and an upper direction of the vehicle.
As shown in FIG. 7A, a toe board 101 in a plate form extends in a widthwise direction of the vehicle for partitioning an engine compartment and a passenger compartment. A lower part of the toe board 101 is formed as an inclining part 101a which downwardly inclines towards a rear part of the vehicle. A lower end of the inclining part 101a is connected to a front part of a floor panel 102. There is a tunnel part 103 extending in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle from a lower center part of the toe board 101 and a part on a centerline, with respect to the width, of the floor panel 102. A side sill 104 is provided on each end of the floor panel 102 with respect to the width of the vehicle. The side sill 104 extends in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle having a closed cross section.
FIGS. 7A and 7B show that a front side frame 110 extends in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle. The front side frame 110 is bent downwardly in contact with the toe board 101, and further extends on a lower surface of the floor panel 102. A rear part of the front side frame 110 has a cross section in the form of approximately a U shape. Lateral walls of the front side frames 110 have flanges. By bringing the flanges into contact with a lower part of the toe board 101 and the lower surface of the floor panel 102, the front side frame 110, the toe board 101, and the floor panel 102 define a closed cross section.
A rear bracket 120 is attached on each rear lower surface of the front side frame 110. The rear bracket 120 has a block shape with a predetermined thickness. At the center of the rear bracket 120, a supporting bolt 121 for supporting a rear part of a front suspension member (not shown) is provided so as to downwardly protrude.
A connecting member 130 covers the front side frame 110 from the bottom thereof over a predetermined length. The connecting member 130 has a main body 131 and an extension part 132 extending from the main body 131 to the side sill 104. An upper end of the main body 131 is connected to the inclining part 101a of the toe board 101. A free end of the extension part 132 is connected to the side sill 104, and an upper end thereof is connected a lower surface of the floor panel 102. The connecting member 130 supports the rear bracket 120. Furthermore, the connecting member 130 connects the front side frame 110 and the side sill 104. This structure is described, for instance, in Japanese Kokai Publication 8 (1996)-230716.
Furthermore, there is a known front structure of a vehicle for supporting a front suspension member as described in FIGS. 8A to 8B. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a conventional structure for a front suspension member support. FIG. 8B is a vertical cross section of the front structure in FIG. 8A.
As shown in FIG. 8A, a front side frame 201 has a curved part 202 extending in an approximately lengthwise direction of a vehicle with gently curving along a lower part of a toe board 206 (FIG. 8B). The curved part 202 has a notch 204 in the form of approximately a triangular shape in an inner wall 203 with respect to a widthwise direction of the vehicle.
A bracket 210 has an upper bracket 211 and a lower bracket 212, and a nut 213 is vertically provided therebetween. As shown in FIG. 8B, an upper part 213a of the nut 213 is fixed to the upper bracket 211, and a lower part 213b of the nut 213 is fixed to the lower bracket 212. The upper bracket 211 and the lower bracket 212 in a combined state are attached to the front side frame 201 so as to block the notch 204. Upper parts of the upper bracket 211 and lower bracket 212 are connected to the toe board 206.
A rear part of the front suspension member 220 is provided on a lower surface of the bracket 210. A supporting bolt 222 is upwardly inserted to a supporting hole 221, and an upper end is screwed into the nut 213 in the bracket 210. Thus, the rear part of the front suspension member 220 is supported on the vehicle body, as described in Japanese Kokai Publication 8 (1996)-198140.
In the above-mentioned front structure of the vehicle described in relation to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the rear bracket 120 and the connecting member 130 are independently formed. Therefore, the number of members to be used is increased and the mounting operation is complicated.
Similarly, in the front structure of a vehicle described in relation to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the upper bracket 211 and the lower bracket 212 are independently formed. Here, the number of the members is also increased and the mounting operation is complicated.